


The greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places

by YennaWang



Series: DJ Play That Song! [6]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-10
Updated: 2017-01-18
Packaged: 2018-09-16 17:24:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9282203
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YennaWang/pseuds/YennaWang
Summary: Sometimes all anyone needs is a shoulder to cry on and someone to listen.DJ PLAY THAT SONG!"No need to step back. Don’t be scared, I got you, you know that. I’m here when you’re sad. When all of your clouds turn black."-Safe With Me by Sam Smith"And I will stay when no one’s there. Darling your pain won't feel the same. Rest in my arms I'll hold you close. Just say the word and I'll be there."-I Will Stay by Zoe Grace





	1. Strangers

Having secrets is something you’ve always been familiar with. It probably started young when you began to hide who you truly were. You denied being a Sato. Denied it, trying to get people to treat you normally. Just because you were the daughter of an acclaimed inventor and businessman, didn’t mean you deserved special treatment. It didn’t mean that everything should be handed to you on a silver platter.

Having secrets continued from then on. You’d hide your interest in mechanics when you wanted to fit in with the other girls. You’d hide your interest in fashion when hanging with the boys. You’d always keep your test scores hidden, never wanting to seem too smart compared to others.

Overtime having secrets and hiding things became a norm for you. So when you realized your attraction to women was similar to men, you just added that to your pile of secrets.

* * *

Your eyes are heavy and you let out a deep sigh. You feel as if you’re carrying the whole world on your shoulders. Contracts have been piling up, interviews have been scheduled, prototypes haven’t been working, investors have been prying, and all you want to do is sleep, but you can’t. You’re Asami Sato and working is what you know and also love. Although it can be taxing at times, it’s also a good distraction. A distraction from the things that you’re missing in life.

* * *

You’re zoned out, lazily swirling around the water that has accumulated on the counter from the glass of whiskey. It was another long day, but at least you have tomorrow off. It took you forever to decide whether to go straight home or head to a bar. In the end, you decided a couple glasses of whiskey would do you good, so you hit up the bar.

The bar you decide on is called Avatar. It’s fairly small, a local place really. During the night you watch the regulars flow in and out, many of them capping the night off after a long day at work, just like you. You’d never set foot in the bar until today, but there’s something about it that you really like and eventually you start becoming a regular.

* * *

“Classic sazerac?” asks the voice that’s slowly becoming more and more familiar to you.

You glance up from your phone. “Yes please,” you say politely before looking back down. It doesn’t take long before the bartender places the drink onto the counter near your hand.

“Thank you,” you say without looking up.

“No problem.”

* * *

You feel someone nudging your shoulder and you let out a small groan. In all honesty you don’t remember falling asleep, but you did. You raise your head, your eyes squinting slightly. Although it’s fairly dark in the bar, your eyes still have to adjust to the light difference.

Standing in front of you is the bartender, who you see way too much of. You don’t mean to, but you know much more about her than you’d like. You know that her name’s Korra from hearing her coworkers and other patrons speak to her. She’s in her early twenties, finishing up her final year at college. You’re not sure what she’s studying specifically, but it seems to be some type of human services. She’s friendly and outgoing, but hasn’t spoken much to you. The only times have been to get your order, give you your drink, and to pay. She’s quiet with you, which is different from how she interacts with everyone else. Which makes you wonder, why?

It almost worries you that you know so much about a girl you’ve never had a conversation with. And to make matters worse, is that Korra knows not a thing about you. So creepy level is pretty high on your part without even meaning to.

“Last call,” she says softly.

Your eyes meet hers and you sigh. She’s beautiful and you can’t deny it. Even though her eyes are an icy blue, they’re probably the warmest and most inviting eyes you’ve ever seen. Her features are soft, her smile welcoming and her button nose cute. Her short hair is always a little messy, but in a stylish way.

“Shit,” you whisper to yourself as it dawns on you that the bar’s closing soon. This means that it’s almost midnight and you had had no intention to stay out so late. Well in truth, you had no intention to fall asleep in a bar, but you did anyways.

You grab your purse and take out a bill. You’re too tired to realize that you’ve put down a fifty, but it doesn’t really matter. You slide off of the stool and begin to leave, but stop when you hear Korra’s voice.

“You only owe fifteen.”

You turn back around and shrug. “Keep the change.”

* * *

“Miss!”

You turn around and see Korra rounding the corner of the bar and coming towards you. She finally reaches you and stands there awkwardly. She’s rubbing her arm and having a hard time keeping eye contact with you.

She’s probably going to ask you to stop coming, considering that you’ve now fallen asleep sitting at the bar the last three times you’ve come. You don’t know why you’re so tired, but you are lately.

“I appreciate the tips and all, but a hundred?” She’s holding up the bill that you left, hoping to make up for falling asleep again.

You smile at her and shake your head. “It’s for letting me stay in the bar even though I keep falling asleep.”

“Oh,” she says in surprise. “Well I mean it happens pretty often with customers, so don’t worry about it. But still a hundred dollars?” Korra extends her hand, trying to return the tip.

“No, you keep it. Really,” you try to reaffirm.

“Uh, thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Have a good night, Korra.” You tense a little when you hear her name slip past your lips. You hadn’t meant to use her name, especially since she’d never given it to you herself. You turn on your heels quickly and take a step towards the exit.

“Wait.”

You pause mid stride and hold your breath. You then turn and look at Korra, who’s still looking awkward and nervous.

“If you don’t mind me asking… What’s your name?”

“Asami,” you say warmly before turning and leaving the bar.

* * *

“Another long day?”

“Yeah,” you say as you put down your purse and sit on the stool.

“How about I make you a different drink today?”

You look at Korra who’s got that dorky crooked smile on and something about it is so endearing to you. You worry your lower lip, thinking if you should turn down the offer. But you decide not to.

“Sure.”

Her eyes seem to brighten at your reply and she begins to grab various ingredients. She begins to pour and mix and then looks up at you.

“I’ve been working on new drink recipes. I haven’t had anyone try this one yet.”

You nod and watch her throw in a maraschino cherry with a little splash and places the drink in front of you.

“I know you like to stick to the classics, but I think this will be a good change for you. It’s a lot sweeter and fruitier than what you normally drink, but hopefully you like it.”

You reach out for the glass and raise it to your lips. Korra’s watching you as you take the first sip and your eyes widen slightly. The drink is sweet, but somehow not overpoweringly sweet. It’s good and when you place the glass down, Korra's looking at you expectantly.

“This is great,” you praise. And you're not lying. The drink is amazing. 

Korra’s face lights up and she leans on the counter. “It’s an old fashioned, but I added some fruit and a few other things to add a twist.”

You take another sip. “It’s fantastic. Thank you.”

You watch as she stands upright and rubs the back of her neck with a hand. There’s a faint blush on her cheeks, that you definitely don’t miss.

“You’re welcome. I’ll check on you in a little bit after I go help the others,” Korra says with a smile before helping the other customers at the bar.

You can’t help but notice that she keeps glancing your way. And each time you make eye contact, she looks away as if she hadn’t been looking at you. It’s cute and each time this happens, your drink tastes sweeter and sweeter.

“You’re not asleep yet,” Korra teases as she returns to her spot in front of you.

You chuckle at this and roll your eyes at her.

She raises her hands and shakes them, “Just joking. If you want to sleep go right ahead.”

“Thank you for the permission, but I think I’m all set for tonight.”

“Then you wouldn’t mind me chatting with you… would you?” Korra’s smiling at you warmly and something inside of you wants to pay and leave, but you don’t. You glance around to see that the bar is pretty slow at the moment, so you wouldn’t be preventing her from working.

“Not at all,” you say and her smile gets even bigger.

“Cool,” she says as she leans on the counter again. “Sooooo Asami.”

“Soooo, Korra,” you mimic.

“You come here every other Friday, so there’s something you must really like about this hole-in-the-wall.”

“The drinks are good.”

Korra chuckles at this and nods. “I’d have to agree with that,” she says with a smug smile.

You laugh at this. “How’d you get into bartending anyways?”

“In all honesty, just thought it’d be fun and the hours work with my classes. In the end I fell in love with it… Although I plan to do other things once I graduate.”

You nod.

“What do you do for work?” she asks you.

You hesitate, wondering how much you should share. “I’m an engineer.”

“Wow,” Korra says with a look of surprise. “That’s cool. I’ve been kind of curious as to what you did for work, cause you’re always dressed so nicely and put together… but your hands always have little nicks on them.”

“Oh.” You’re surprised that she noticed such a fine detail and also surprised by the inadvertent compliment. Korra glances down at your hands and you’re suddenly self conscious of them. “I guess I should be more careful,” you say giggling a bit.

“I mean if you like the work you’re doing, it’s worth a few little cuts.” Korra smiles at you one last time before having to leave to help some other customers.

* * *

Oddly enough, you begin to open up more and more to Korra. Eventually your biweekly attendance at Avatar turns into venting sessions with Korra. She just listens and there’s something really special about that. The fact that she actually, truly listens. She’s actually invested in learning and listening to you. Your words don’t go in one ear and out the other. Korra makes talking easy somehow.

* * *

“Card?” Korra asks in surprise as she takes it from you.

“Forgot cash,” you explain.

She nods and takes it to the register to ring up your bill. She returns soon with the receipt and slides you a pen to sign and returns your card.

As you’re signing, Korra clears her throat and you look up. “Hmm?”

“You’re Asami Sato…” she states matter of factly.

You feel your stomach tense and realize that Korra knows more about you than you had intended.

“Uh, yeah.”

Korra rubs the back of her neck nervously. “Y-you probably get people thanking you all the time, but I just wanted to thank you for all the charity work you’ve done.”

You look at Korra curiously.

“Because of your donations my mom and many others were able to get chemotherapy… and I just want to thank you for that.” Korra smiles at you warmly.

You’re unsure of what to say because you hadn’t expected her to thank you. You had expected her to be amazed that you were _the_ Asami Sato, or something. But instead her she is, thanking you for something you don’t think you should be thanked for. Giving money to a worthy cause such as paying for cancer research or other medical services, is just being a good person in your opinion. It’s something that you believe anyone with surplus amounts of money should be doing.

“No need to thank me. It’s nothing,” you try to shrug off.

“It’s not nothing,” Korra says strongly. “So please just take my thanks.”

“Okay, you’re welcome, Korra,” you say, although you don’t fully mean it.

* * *

You think that you’re going to be treated differently the next time you step into Avatar, but you’re not. And it’s one of the most relieving things you’ve experienced recently. Korra still listens to you the same as she had before. She still speaks to you like a normal person, not some impressive businesswoman. The bar stays as an escape thankfully.

* * *

“Asami.”

Your head snaps up and Korra’s there standing in front of you laughing.

“You fell asleep again.”

You groan as you rub your temple. It’d been a long week of press since a new Satomobile was released.

“Sorry,” you apologize.

“Not a problem. You want one more drink?” She smiles at you and gives you _that_ look, trying to convince you to have one more.

“Sure. A beer please.”

“What? Really?”

“Yeah I feel like something different,” you sigh.

“Alright then.” Korra pours two beers, one for you and one for herself. “You don’t mind if I drink, do you?”

You shake your head and take a sip of your beer. It’s just you and Korra. Usually you would find being alone with someone uncomfortable, but it’s not, at least not with her.

“Cool. Want to know something funny?”

“What?” you ask with a smile.

“You.”

“What? Why?” you ask sounding slightly insulted in a joking way.

“You keep surprising me. One moment you’re a stickler for old fashioned and sazerac, then you’re drinking a beer. Like I can’t figure you out and I’m usually a pro at reading people, Asami,” Korra explains.

“I can be hard to figure out at times.” You agree with Korra wholeheartedly, even you at times feel like you don’t know yourself.

“Yeah.” Korra sets down her beer and leans forward on the counter. “I like listening to you though.”

You’re stomach flutters slightly at the kind words and you slide your own beer to the side, so that you can lean on the counter too.

“You do?”

“I do,” Korra says leaning in a little more, shortening the space between you. “I feel like you’re not one to open up much, but when you do it’s nice.”

Your eyes flit to Korra’s lips and then back to her icy blues. It might be due to the alcohol rushing through your veins, or something else, but all you can think about is wanting to know if they’re as soft as they look.

You don’t have to wait long at all to find out that they are. Korra closes the space between you, her lips catching your ruby red ones in a soft, gentle kiss.

But without thinking, you pull away faster than you believed you could. Korra’s eyes widen in surprise and an instant look of regret and uncertainty fills them.

“A-Asami?”

You know you should say something, but you feel like you’re choking. Your heart’s racing and feels like it’s about to burst straight out of your chest and you're starting to hyperventilate. Your hands are shaking uncontrollably and you feel as if you’re spinning. You hear nothing as you grab your purse and try to stumble out of the bar, but don’t make it far.

You don’t know how, but you’re on your hands and knees. Korra’s kneeling in front of you, cupping your face gently, her lips are moving, but you hear nothing. All you hear is your labored breathing and the pounding of your heart.

“Breath, Asami.”

Her lips are still moving.

“Listen to me. Breath in for three counts. One. Two. Three. Now out. One. Two. Three.”

It’s as if something snaps in you and you can finally hear her. You try to follow her counting, try to slow your breathing.

“That’s better now. You’re okay. You’re okay,” she repeats to you.

You close your eyes and try to hold back the tears, but you can’t. As soon as the first tear starts streaming down your cheek, you’re in Korra’s arms. Engulfed in a strong and safe embrace, something you haven’t felt in years.

“You’re okay. You’re safe,” Korra continues to comfort.

You don’t know how long it takes for the tears to stop, but they finally do. You’re mouth feels dry and your body aches, but you find something within you to finally speak.

“I’m sorry,” you mutter quietly, still in Korra’s arms.

“It’s okay. You don’t need to apologize.” Korra lets out a long sigh. “I’m the one who should be apologizing. I shouldn’t have kissed you. It was unprofessional of m-”

“No, please stop.” You pull away from her so you can look her in the eyes. “It’s not your fault… I wanted you to kiss me.” You let out a heavy sigh at your admission. “I…”

You feel a comforting hand rest atop your own and look down. Korra’s not pushing you to speak, but giving you the time and space to open up if you want to.

“I… I’m not someone you should want to get to know. You’re a good person Korra and the last thing I would want is you to get hurt,” you say still staring at her hand on yours.

“Asami,” her voice is soft. You look up and you swear you’ve never seen Korra this serious before. “Life is full of uncertainty, but there is something I’m certain of. And that’s my feelings for you. Even if you haven’t told me, I know you’ve gone through a lot. You’re eyes tell a story and I want to become part of it… that is if you’re willing to allow me that privilege.”

“Korra, I-”

“Take some time to think about it, okay?” Korra says with a warm smile.

You nod. “Okay.”

“Let me call a cab for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is in the works, but I'm not sure when I'll officially publish it.


	2. Friends

You let out a long groan as you pinch the bridge of your nose. Contract upon contract continue to pile up on your desk, but you can’t focus.

Although you’re Asami Sato, you’ve still experienced tons of embarrassing situations. There was the time in middle school where a tissue feel from your shirt. And obviously the most popular girl had to see and share with everyone that you stuffed your bra. It wasn’t your fault that you were a later bloomer. Or that other time in high school where you walked down an entire hallway full of students with the back of your skirt tucked into your underwear. Or that time during university where you drunkenly tried to trade your friend for pizza since you couldn’t find your money. There were lots of times to be embarrassed, but having a panic attack after an extremely attractive girl kisses you, may take the cake.

At first you’re unsure as to why a panic attack was triggered, but after a couple of restless nights, you seemed to come to a conclusion. Although you’d kissed girls before, something about this kiss with Korra was different. You didn’t feel guilty, like you had in the past. You weren’t trying to prove a point to your father. You felt amazing in the moment, better than you had in a long time.

But that happiness began to form into a knot in your stomach. You began to think about all the things Korra didn’t know about you. All the secrets you continued to hold from her and this made you second guess everything. As these thoughts festered, your body reacted in the way it knew how to. In the form of a panic attack. It wasn’t the first of these for you, but most were caused from stress and anxiety from work. But this doesn’t matter, what does matter is that you had a panic attack in front of Korra. Just reaffirming the idea that you’d just be a burden on the woman more than anything else.

You let out a sigh and run a hand through your hair. To you, the answer to Korra was pretty obvious. So instead of following your heart, you did what you found as rational and what you believed to be the right thing to do.

* * *

You reach down and pick up the single rose. It was a soft yellow color and smelled amazing. When you’d passed your secretary, they said that a delivery had come for you, but a single rose was not what you had expected. There’s no note or anything, but there’s only one person you can think of who’d send this. It’d been a month already since the unfortunate time at the bar, but it seems that the bartender wasn’t going to give up so easily.

Your hand hovers over the trashcan. Your mind debating whether to throw the rose out or not.

* * *

“Another,” you sigh to yourself. It’d been a full week and each day you came in to a new flower on your desk. Each time it was a rose, but of a different color.

Before you pick up this last rose and add it to the small collection you’d made, you stop. There’s a letter accompanying this rose. You pick it up and you smile at the sloppy handwriting.

 

_Asami,_

_So I know I said to take your time and think about what I said at the bar on Friday, but my nerves have gotten the best of me. I’m not sure if you’re into romantic gestures like this, but I’m willing to try anything to get to know you better. Anyways, as you’ve hopefully realized (unless you’re colorblind), each rose was a different color._

_The first was yellow, which represents our friendship that we’ve created over time. I know it seems a bit silly, but I really grew to enjoy listening to your voice and the things you shared with me and hopefully you kinda liked what I shared with you too._

_Anyways, the next was orange. They told me it would show that I’m enthusiastic and passionate (words of the all knowing florist) about my feelings for you. So obviously I had to send you an orange one. I didn’t even know they came in orange to be honest._

_I went with light pink next to show you that I appreciate you and everything that you’ve done for me and the people around you._

_The next one’s kind of embarrassing, but a lavender rose represents falling in love at first sight. And that’s what I did. I still remember what you were wearing and the day that you came into the bar (hopefully that doesn’t sound too creepy)._

_Let’s move on from that. Next is a yellow rose with a red tip, which is probably my favorite. It means that I want this friendship to become more. But it also is my hope that you saw me as a close friend and that you would want more._

_Peach. The florist told me that I should have just sent you a bouquet by this point, but I still thought this was best. Anyways, the peach rose was me asking for us to be together…_

_Finally the last red rose, I hope you know the meaning of that one without more bad explanations from me._

_But enough with the roses, cause I still have a few more sappy things to tell you. I want you to know that I’m here for you if you need anything. I don’t care about your past, but who you are now. And I really like the person you are now. I will always be your friend no matter what._

_This ended up being much longer than I intended, but it doesn’t matter because you’re worth it and I thank you for taking the time to read this entire note (short essay)._

_I hope to hear from you soon,_

_Korra_

_xxx-xxx-xxxx_

 

You can’t help but laugh multiple times as you read the letter. Korra’s awkward, yet bubbly personality shines through. And your heart seems to be much lighter due to reading it. You never thought that anyone would take their time and do something so thoroughly thought out, just for you.

* * *

You hold your breath as you look at the sign. Avatar, it reads. It had been almost two months since the incident and you were unsure if you waited too long.

“You can do this,” you muttered softly to yourself as you push the door open.

The bar is busy, but luckily your usual seat is open. You slide onto it and place your purse on the counter in front of you. Korra hasn’t seen you yet, but you can see her. She’s doing some bar tricks for a group of people and her smile is as bright as ever. It makes your stomach flutter and you can feel your heart rate rising. You take in a couple deep breaths, trying to calm yourself.

You watch as Korra does a short flair routine, something she’d been practicing since you met her. The group watching cheers and claps as she finishes up their drinks and serves them.

You can’t hide the smile that’s worked its way onto your face and just then, she glances up and sees you. She holds up her hand, signaling that she’ll be over to you soon.

It doesn’t take long for her to serve the people who were at the bar before you. As soon as she’s done, she quickly works her way down the bar to stand in front of you.

“It’s good to see you,” she greets with a big smile.

“You as well,” you return.

“You want a drink... or just here to talk?” she asks hesitantly, slightly squinting her eyes.

“I’d love a drink,” you say hoping it would help calm your nerves. “I’ll take whatever the bartender recommends.”

“I actually have the perfect drink,” she says with a big smirk.

You raise an eyebrow at this, but allow Korra to do her thing. She mixes a few ingredients then strains the liquid into a rocks glass with a few ice cubes already in it. She then slowly begins to pour rosé wine over the back of a bar spoon, creating a cool layering effect. As a final touch she adds some lemon zest and puts the drink in front of you.

“Rosé whiskey sour. Which reminds me. You got the flowers right?”

You smile and nod at this. “I did.” You take a sip of the drink and hum because it tastes _that_ good.

“And?” she asks nervously.

“And… I kept every single rose and _really_ hope that it’s not too late… um… to tell you that I feel the same way,” you finally get out slowly.

She leans on the counter like she had so many times before. “It’s definitely not too late,” she says grinning.

You smile back at her and then take a quick glance around the bar. “Would it be okay if I kissed you? Or is that not allowed since you’re working?”

“Uh-”

Before Korra can speak, you interrupt her. “I promise I won’t have a panic attack this time.”

“If you can guarantee that… then I see no reason to say no.”

You giggle at that as you place a hand on her tanned cheek and close the space between you. Her lips are just as soft as before, but taste of peppermint this time around. You’re about to pull away, when you feel her hand slide to the back of your neck keeping you close. You can’t help but let out a little sigh against her lips as you continue to kiss.

In all honesty, you’d have kept kissing her. You’d have kept her as close as possible for as long as possible, but that doesn’t happen. You had no intention to attract the attention of others, but you do. The bar breaks out into cheering, whistles, clapping. You had no idea that so many patrons had been rooting for the two of you and for quite some time now.

* * *

You’re fiddling with your hands and your mind is racing. There are so many firsts and your heart can’t take it. Your first date. Your first time with Korra not at Avatar. Your first time seeing her in her regular clothes. Your first time on a _real_ date with a woman. Your first time for so much.

You quickly glance down at your watch and sigh. The past five minutes have gone by achingly slow. You’d arrived at the restaurant fifteen minutes before the time you’d agreed. But you couldn’t help it. You sure as hell weren’t going to be late, which may have caused you to be a little too eager and arrived earlier than planned.

“Ten minutes,” you say softly to yourself as your leg starts bouncing up and down. But you don’t have to wait that long. A couple more minutes pass and you feel a light touch on your shoulder.

“You’re early,” the familiar voice points out.

You turn your head, looking over your shoulder and your breath hitches. Korra’s wearing a light blue sundress with white polkadots. It actually surprises you seeing her in a dress though. You’d only seen her in collared shirts and black pants since she was always bartending. But this doesn’t matter because she looks absolutely stunning.

“You’re early too,” you say as you scoot out of the booth and pull her into a welcoming hug. “You look amazing by the way,” you whisper.

“Not as good as you,” she returns and you feel your cheeks flush.

You’d gone with a fitted black dress with long sleeves and the skirt ending mid-thigh. You also sideswept your hair and spent more time on your makeup than usual.

You both let go of one another and you return to the booth. As you do this, Korra slides into the booth across from you with a big smile on her face.

“What?” you ask her because she’s staring for a bit too long.

She rubs her neck nervously and her cheeks flush slightly. “Just happy I guess,” she says softly. “I mean, I really thought I wasn’t going to hear from you. Like I gave you my number, but you never called or anything.”

“I… had a few things I had to sort out,” you admit, although hesitantly. “And I thought it would be best to tell you how I feel in person.”

“I must agree that in person was a good decision,” Korra says with a wink.

You roll your eyes and are about to give a sassy retort, but stop when the waiter arrives. You both order your drinks and meals, then return to your conversation.

“So tell me something I don’t know about you, Korra,” you start.

She pouts a little as she rubs her chin thinking. “You know I’m a student… fourth year… occupational therapy major… from Boston... “ she pauses then. “But you don’t know that I have an older brother and a younger sister.”

“Oh really?”

“Yup. Big bro is back in Boston, plays hockey professionally. Lil sis is finishing up her last year of middle school.”

“That’s awesome. What are their names?”

“Kobe and Kristen. You have any siblings?” Korra asks you.

“No, only child.”

“Must’ve been nice. Having your parents all for yourself,” she says with a laugh.

“Uh, yeah,” you lie. You don’t want to tell her that your mother passed away when you were seven because of cancer. You don’t want to tell her that your father was constantly traveling for work. You don’t want to tell her that your childhood was mainly filled with loneliness.

She seems to read your discomfort and looks at you seriously for a moment. But as fast as this happens, she’s then smiling again.

“But I mean having siblings is awesome. Even if it means having your brother scare away all dating prospects. Like he’s big, like not just older, but big. Takes after our dad. They’re both six four and totally jacked.”

You’re glad that she doesn’t press you and decides to speak about herself. It’s easier this way for you. You rest your chin in one hand and smirk.

“You seem pretty jacked yourself,” you say eying her arms.

She leans forward, as if to tell you a secret. “I’d hope so… I go to the gym every morning.”

“That’s impressive.”

As you say this, the food arrives. For a good amount of time, the two of you are fairly quiet as you eat. That’s what happens when you’re surrounded by good food. It kind of becomes the priority. But it doesn’t stop you from noticing some of Korra’s eating habits. The first time she took a bite, she swayed back and forth slightly because it was so good. She’s smiling between each bite, showing how much she likes to eat. She’s a little messy and sometimes clumsy as she eats. You watch as something falls off her fork, just before reaching her mouth. But you quickly look down, not wanting to embarrass her. It’s funny because you’ve never thought someone could be cute as they eat, but you’ll be damned cause Korra is ridiculously cute as she eats. It amazes you how you find Korra’s actions and behaviors so endearing.

“This is so good,” Korra hums with happiness.

“I’m glad you like it.”

“Seriously. Sooooo good!” she says before taking a big bite. She chews and swallows, before speaking again. “So you asked me to tell you something new about myself… now it’s your turn.”

You freeze for a second and then put down your fork. She knows who you are, where you work, what you do there. She even knows some of the things that cause you stress, considering that alcohol is one of the better ways to get you to open up. But other than that she knows very little about you personally.

“I, um…” You pause, trying to think of something you feel comfortable sharing. “I like to swim.”

“Cool. I used to be on the swim team in high school. Wanna race sometime?”

“I don’t know.”

“Oh come on. Scared to lose?”

“No, it’s just that I wouldn’t want you to get too embarrassed.”

Korra’s eyes widen at this and she bites her lower lip. “OOOOOhhhhhhh. We’re definitely racing sometime. Like one-hundred percent.” She squints at you. “But let me warn you, you’ll be eating my bubbles!”

Your serious expression fades and you’re laughing harder than you have in a long time. Korra joins you and you know that people in the restaurant are now looking at you both, but you don’t care at all. You’ve never been so happy with a person ever in your life.

“Don’t l-laugh… you’re so… going to… eat my bubbles,” Korra gasps between her laughter.

“You keep believing that,” you sass.

Korra slides her empty plate to the side and leans forward, like she would at the bar. She’s got a huge smirk on her face and your stomach flutters.

“I like this competitive Asami.”

“Well I’m very competitive, so you’ll have to get used to it,” you admit as you lean forward as well.

“If that means I can be around you more often, then sign me up.”

You don’t miss the way her eyes glance down at your lips and then back up. Or how her tongue quickly wets her upper lip. You feel drawn to her, but as soon as you notice her drifting to close the space, you back away.

You clear your throat and ask, “You want dessert?”

“Sure,” she replies, but you notice the difference in her tone. It's obvious that she's calculating why you backed away from her.

"What kind of dessert do you like," you ask, hoping to avoid awkward silence.

“Anything with ice cream,” she answers.

You chuckle at her simple answer, but know that it's because of you. You know that you pulling away has caused this weird atmosphere. When the waiter returns, you order the special s’mores sundae. Which was definitely the right choice because as soon as it’s placed on the table, Korra’s eyes light up and she grabs her spoon, ready to dig in. She hesitates though, making sure it’s okay to begin, almost childlike. You nod with a soft smile.

As soon as the sundae’s done, Korra leans back, patting her stomach. By now the awkwardness has seemed to fade.

“My dad used to take us out for ice cream once a month as a special treat. Probably why I love ice cream so much,” she says as she reminisces.

“That’s sweet.”

“Yeah he’s awesome. I wouldn’t be the same person without him. But my mom’s also really great too. Sweetest woman you’ll ever meet.”

It’s obvious how much Korra cares for her family, something you never were able to truly experience.

“What are your parents like, Asami?”

Again you freeze up at the personal question. Korra notices your hesitation, but before she can change the subject, you reply cooly, “My dad works a lot." You pause, wondering if you should say anthing about your mother. In the end you decide to speak, “My mom was lovely though.”

Korra perks up at this, obviously picking up that you used past tense.

“She passed away when I was seven,” you tell her.

Korra nods and places a warm hand atop yours. “I bet she was lovely, just like her daughter.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I meant for this to be two parts, but this ended up being longer than planned. So there will be three parts in total I guess :P


	3. Partners

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I decided to change the title to "The greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places." I'd never been fond of the previous title, so yeah. It's a quote from Roald Dahl and easily the longest title I've ever used for any of my fics.

“Damn,” Korra mutters as she pulls herself out of the pool. You’re already standing there, wrapped in a towel and holding one out for her. “I ate your bubbles.”

At this you both break out laughing and soon enough you have tears streaming down your cheeks. You clutch your stomach, that has now become sore from all the laughing. You gradually stop laughing, as you realize Korra is silently staring at you. You tilt your head questioningly.

Your breath hitches as Korra quickly closes the space between you. She cups your face with both hands and pulls you into a kiss that is more passionate than your past kisses.

After many minutes, you pull away from her. As much as you’d love to keep kissing her, you also need to breath.

“What was that for?” you ask her breathlessly.

“You’re just so beautiful when you laugh like that. When you actually let go.”

* * *

“Rough day?” she asks as she runs her fingers through your hair. You’re resting your head in her lap as you unwind on the couch.

“Mhmm,” you hum, looking up at her. Your dad had called.

“You know you can tell me anything right?”

“Mhmm.”

You see her frown down at you and your heart sinks. You know you can trust her, that you should open up to her. But you just can’t, not yet.

* * *

“What was I wearing the first time we met?” you ask her as you trace random patterns over her bare back.

“Red heels high enough to use as a weapon, tight-ass black dress pants, black blazer that ended up coming off to reveal a red sleeveless blouse that showed _just_ enough cleavage, and gold dangly earrings,” she says with her eyes closed. “I’m right, right?”

“No.”

Her eyes snap open and she glares at you. “I know I’m right. Don’t try to trick me.”

“Okay okay. You’re spot on.”

“What’s my prize?” she whispers as she begins to lift herself from the bed and get closer to you.

“You’ll see,” you get out just before she pushes your back to the bed.

* * *

“Asami?”

You jerk slightly when you feel Korra’s hand on your shoulder. But she doesn’t pull away, she keeps her hand resting on your shoulder lightly. Even with her comforting touch, your tears don’t stop. You’re cold everywhere, except for where her hand rests. You’re achy and tired.

“Please, Asami.”

It’s evident that Korra wants you to open up to her, but your tears won’t stop.

“I’m here for you,” she says softly. You feel the bed shift slightly and her arms wrap around you. She holds you for the rest of the night as you slowly cry yourself to sleep.

* * *

“Hey you,” she greets as you take your place at your usual stool.

“I’m sorry,” you say softly.

She takes your hand into hers and kisses the back of it. “You know I love you, right?” You nod at this. “No matter what you’re going through. I’m going to be here for you. I’ll never leave you,” she says softly because she’s leaning on the bar to be close to you. “I know you’re keeping things from me, but when you’re ready… I’m here.”

You nod again. “I’m sorry,” you mutter again.

She just shakes her head at this. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”

* * *

You lift your hand, lightly running your fingers over Korra’s cheek. Your eyes trace over her soft features and you can’t help but smile. Her chest rises and falls slowly as she sleeps. The warm sunlight is beginning to filter in, making her tanned skin look even more beautiful. You’re in love with her, even if you haven’t said this aloud, you know it’s true.

You don’t know how long you watch her, but slowly she awakens. She yawns and stretches out her arms, then her legs which brush against your own.

“Morning,” you say quietly.

She smiles at you, her eyes still full of sleep.

“You remember the night after I met your family?”

Her smile fades and she’s looking at you seriously now. “The night you cried for hours.”

You nod. “I, um… It…” your voice trails off.

“It’s okay. Take your time,” Korra assures as she scoots closer to you to pull you into her arms. You automatically wrap your arms around her waist, pulling yourself even closer to her.

“Being with your family made me realize how much I’ve missed. I never had a loving father that would accept me for who I am and protect me. Instead he just lied and ignored me. I never had a mother who could hold me and comfort me when I needed it most. I never had siblings who looked out for me or to play with. I-I only have faint memories of my mother and bad memories with my father. T-that day I spent with your family was one of the happiest days of my life, Korra.”

You don’t realize you’re crying until Korra backs away slightly and wipes the tears from your cheeks.

“I can’t tell him, Korra,” you continue. “I can’t tell him we’re dating. That I love a woman. That I love you. That I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone.”

Korra sighs softly and looks you straight in the eye. “It’s okay. I just need you, Asami. And my family is as much mine as yours. They all love you, but not as much as I love you.”

“Thank you, Korra.” You rest your head against her chest and squeeze her tight.

“We’re in this together. When you’re sad, I’m sad. When you’re worried, I’m worried. When you’re hurt, I’m hurt. But when you’re happy, so am I. I’m here for you no matter what, even if I have to be a secret from your father. I will stay beside you through whatever.”

* * *

You can’t hide your smile as Korra crashes through the doors of your office holding takeout.

“Time for your lunch break, Miss Sato,” she says sternly, but also adds a flirtatious wink.

You take a glance down at the blueprints on your desk. You need to review them and approve or tweak them by tonight, but a little break would do you good. So you decide to join Korra on the couch in your office.

“You need to make an appointment next time,” you joke as you graciously take the container that Korra’s holding out to you.

She smirks at you. “Even though I’m your girlfriend?”

“Especially because you are my girlfriend!”

“That’s no fun,” she pouts.

“Well of course not. Work isn’t supposed to be fun.”

“Stop joking around and eat,” she says as she pokes your side with a chopstick.

You laugh at this. “Okay, okay,” you say surrendering.

You both eat in silence, until your chopsticks slow as your stomachs fill.

“So you’re almost done,” you point out.

“With school?” she asks for clarification.

“Yeah.”

“Mhmm, just under two weeks and then I’ll be graduating.” She puts down her empty container and pulls her feet under her to sit lotus style. She then turns so that she’s squared to you. “Can you believe it’s almost been half a year now. Like I have been dating _the_ Asami Sato for five and a half months now.”

“Crazy huh?”

“To be honest, yeah,” she says quietly.

You put down your food, which has a small amount left, but you’re too full to finish it. You then turn and copy Korra’s sitting position. “Why’s that?” you finally ask her.

She looks at you as if you’ve asked the stupidest question. “So many reasons,” she says with a bit of a chuckle. “You’re literally a genius. You’re wicked nice. CEO of an amazing company. Gorgeous as hell. Like the list goes on. And I’m just graduating from college and work at a bar.”

“You’re selling yourself short, Korra.” You reach out and take her hands into yours. “Remember I have a few years on you and inherited this company. So where you are now is not something to put down. Plus you’re graduating top of your class and working full time, that’s not easy.” You give her hands a little squeeze. “You’re waaayyy nicer than me and you have seen yourself right?” you tease with a smirk.

Korra laughs at this and leans in to give you a quick peck on the cheek. “Who knew you were such a flatterer.”

“Oh I can continue, but you’re already blushing quite a bit right now.”

“No I’m not,” Korra whines.

“It’s cute.”

* * *

“YEEEAAHHHHHH!”

You jump slightly, surprised by Korra’s yelling.

“I BEAT YOU!” she yells as she jumps up and down.

You giggle at her childish antics, but don’t care because it’s so endearing to you.

“You did,” you say with a smile. “I did win the last four races though,” you add.

“Doesn’t matter to me. Yoshi finally came through and won this race. Luigi ate my dust!”

“Why is there always eating involved with you?”

“I don’t know,” she mumbles as she puts down her controller. “Do I get anything for winning?”

“Korra, you won one-”

“I know, one race,” she interrupts. “But a win's a win.” She finally sits back down. “How about a kiss?”

“You can kiss me whenever, doesn’t seem like a good prize.”

“So I do get something for winning then! Will you come to my graduation?”

“Of course. I planned to. I mean… that is if you were going to invite me,” you answer awkwardly.

“Well you’ve now been invited.”

* * *

The weather’s hot, the sun blazing overhead. One good thing is that there is a slight breeze coming in from the coast. You made sure to apply sunscreen to all of your exposed skin, which was a fair amount due to the cute floral dress you were wearing.

You arrive early and find your seat, which is next to four other saved seats. One for each parent and one for each sibling of Korra’s. When they do arrive each of them greets you warmly with a hug. Even though you’re not a huge fan of hugs, you swear that this family is made up of the best huggers in the world.

Your heart swells at the palpable support and love of this family. As soon as you all can spot Korra marching in with the other students, the whole family breaks into cheers and whistles. Even though it’s only four people, they’re easily one of the loudest families here. You even join in a little.

Korra obviously hears all of this and waves to you all. But you notice the quick wink she flashes you along with her lopsided grin.

Once this all happens, the speeches begin. Eventually diplomas begin to be handed out and again when Korra’s up, the cheering takes over. It’s amazing witnessing all of this. Your heart swells with joy.

Finally the graduates are released to find their families and take photos. You and Korra’s family slowly make it down the bleachers and to the open area. It doesn’t take long for Korra to find you, all she had to do was look for her dad and brother, considering that they kind of tower over most of the crowd.

As soon as Korra is in range, her whole family engulfs her in a big group hug. You feel kind of awkward standing there, but Korra somehow manages to stick her arm out. As soon as she does, she grabs you and pulls you into the middle of the hug with her. In all honesty you feel tears well up in your eyes because you’ve never experienced anything like this before. You’d never had a true family, but now you’ve been welcomed into one and it amazes you.

“It’s too hot for this!” Korra complains and her family finally releases her, but she leaves an arm around your waist, keeping you close. She leans in close to you. “I’m happy you’re here,” she whispers and you can feel your cheeks begin to flush.

“There’s no place I’d rather be,” you say softly back to her. You then kiss her on the cheek. “I’m so proud of you. You want a picture with your family?”

“Yeah that’d be great actually.”

She lets go of you and you watch as she talks to another graduate. The boy nods and begins to walk over to where you stand with the rest of Korra’s family.

“Here Sai,” she hands him her phone. She then grabs your hand and pulls you beside her. Next to you is Korra’s father and to Korra’s side is her sister, mother, and then brother. You smile bigger than you ever have in your life. You’re home. You’ve finally found the family that you’d always dreamed of. But even better, you finally found the one you truly love.

Sai captures a few photos, but there's one that stands out. The one where you whispered "I love you," into Korra's ear and her face just lights up. A captured moment of absolute happiness and love. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always thank you. I couldn't do this without your support and love, so thank you so much.

**Author's Note:**

> If you like a song and would like a oneshot written, let me know. Comment below or hit me up at ahhhsami.tumblr.com/ask. You can be anonymous there or not. Whatever you're more comfortable with.


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